Why Do Bodybuilders Get Bacne?

You drop the barbells onto the mat and exhale slowly, sweat dripping from your shoulders. That was a tough workout but your muscles are looking great, as you inspect your progress in the gym mirror. However, your eyes can’t help but notice that your skin isn’t looking quite as good as your new sculpted figure. A nasty case of acne has broken out across your back and you’d be lying if you said it wasn’t marring the smooth, shiny look that you’re working so hard for. So, how can you continue bodybuilding without sacrificing the health of your skin?

What causes bacne?

The term ‘bacne’ isn’t considered an official word but it has been in popular use, when referencing acne on the back since the 1990s. Acne is a very common, inflammatory skin condition that can and does occur all over the body. The skin is covered in sebaceous glands, which secrete oil or sebum to stop the skin from drying out. These oil glands are connected to hair follicles, lined by skin cells called keratinocytes. Acne occurs when sebum, hair and keratinocytes get stuck in the pore. Therefore, the keratinocytes don’t get shed and the sebum doesn’t reach the surface of the skin. The combination of skin cells and oil means that bacteria that usually inhabits the surface of the skin grows in the follicles and causes redness and inflammation. As the clogged follicle breaks down, the sebum, keratinocytes and bacteria are released into the surrounding skin, causing spots and lesions.

There are several common causes of acne, including:

• Excess oil production or sweating
• Clogged pores
• Skin inflammation
• Hormonal changes

While there can also be genetic factors at play, poor diet and hygiene can also trigger acne. So, there is plenty that can be done to protect the skin from breakouts. Our Clarifying body bar contains active ingredients that reduce redness, soothe acne-ravaged skin and restore it to its full health.

How do common bodybuilding disciplines contribute to bacne flare-ups?

The world of bodybuilding is one of great willpower, strict dedication and great pride in what can be achieved through hard work. It involves regular, intense exercise, a healthy diet and the consumption of vitamin and mineral supplements. Some bodybuilders also use legal steroids to enhance their progress and performance. Many of these bare bones of bodybuilding create an ideal environment for acne to develop, so it’s no wonder than many people notice their skin changing. Here’s how these bodybuilding basics can cause acne:

• Regular intense exercise. Excessive sweating is a common cause for bacne. When sweat sits on the skin for long periods of time, the pores can become clogged, and this is especially common on areas such as the back.
• A healthy diet. There is a growing mound of evidence that suggests that certain foods and diets can exacerbate acne. The main culprits include sugar, pasta, white rice and dairy. These foods raise our blood sugar quickly, producing a hormone called IGF-1, which accelerates sebum production.
• Vitamin and mineral supplements. There is evidence that high levels of iodine in the body can aggravate acne. Check your supplements in order to ensure that you aren’t taking more than the recommended daily amount of iodine.
• Steroid use. Along with some other inflammatory and hormonal medications, anabolic steroids are known to cause bacne breakouts. Several studies suggest that steroids might enhance the production of immune system receptors called TLR2. When combined with bacteria that already live on your skin, TLR2 receptors could well bring about acne.

How can bodybuilders prevent bacne attacks?

Luckily, there are a few simple things that you can do to limit the likelihood of bacne without compromising your bodybuilding progress. Whether you’ve suffered from acne since you were a teenager or whether it’s a recent problem for your skin, we’ve got some handy hints to banish it from your svelte and strong body forever:

• Maintain good hygiene. Shower after every workout and pay special attention to your back, which is particularly prone to producing more oil and sweat than other parts of the body. Wash with a non-comedogenic skin cleanser like our Clarifying body bar and wear a clean shirt every day.
• Drink water. Staying hydrated is key to keeping acne at bay. It can be common practice for bodybuilders to avoid water before a competition in the hopes of gaining better muscle definition, but water is essential to our body’s general health.
• Don’t over-exfoliate. Chemical exfoliants are acne-prone skin’s best friend, as they eradicate dead skin while limiting bacteria production and they cause less irritation than other types of exfoliators. Our Exfoliating body bar is also very gentle on the skin and actively prevents ingrown hairs and skin irritation.
• Avoid supplements that boost testosterone. Excess testosterone has to exit the body somehow and that’s often through the skin’s sebaceous glands. Hormonal changes are one of the leading causes of acne, which is why it’s so prevalent in teenagers and menopausal women.

Beauty Kin builds bodies up!

Our body bars were made to eradicate insecurity and improve the overall appearance of problem skin. If bacne has been casting an red, irritating shadow over your bodybuilding journey, we’ve got the solution to clearing it.

Our Clarifying body bar is excellent at eliminating blemishes and unclogging pores. It contains salicylic acid, which removes dead skin cells and gently exfoliates the skin, tamanu which reduces redness and neroli that soothes and calms irritation.

Our Exfoliating body bar is a must-have post shave or wax solution to banish strawberry skin and ensure a smooth, sleek finish to your skin. It contains lactic acid, a gentle exfoliator and dead skin cell cleanser as well as ground olive stone which unclogs the pores effectively.

Bacne can be painful and embarrassing but there’s no reason why it has to be. Good hygiene, a healthy diet, safe shaving and an avoidance of hormonal medications will usually go a long way to ensuring that acne never haunts your skin. If your bacne is still severe after your best efforts, a dermatologist will be able to help. However, don’t let it stop you from breaking out a sweat and watching your body become a glowing, sculpted vision!